Sand Creek Trail marks five years on national registry

NORTH NEWTON, KAN. –National Trails Day®, June 4 this year, marks the five-year anniversary of Bethel College’s Sand Creek Trail on the registry of National Recreation Trails.

On that day, the Sand Creek Trail (SCT) Committee joins the American Hiking Society’s 24th National Trails Day®. The annual event celebrates the national trail systems in the United States and Canada, and its supporters and volunteers.

For its annual “Walk Sand Creek Trail Day,” SCT Committee members will be at the trailhead in Memorial Grove between dawn and dusk (6 a.m.-8 p.m.), where they will have water for walkers – both humans and dogs – and be available to answer any questions about the trail.

Plan to start National Trails Day® on Sand Creek Trail early, with the first-Saturday bird walk. Birders should meet at 6:30 a.m. June 4 in the parking lot of Kauffman Museum on the Bethel campus. The walk will follow Sand Creek Trail.

“Whether someone wants to participate in a centennial celebration event at a national park or connect with other adventure seekers at a neighborhood open space, there’s a National Trails Day event for everyone,” said American Hiking Society President Gregory Miller. “Our nation’s trails offer individuals from all walks of life boundless opportunities to enjoy nature, reconnect with family and friends and establish a lifetime of fitness.

“We’ve seen significant increases each year in National Trails Day® participation. Last year, more than 2,300 activities attracted more than 176,000 people to National Trails Day® festivities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada.”

American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® is a nationally recognized trail awareness program that occurs annually on the first Saturday of June and inspires the public to discover, learn about and celebrate trails while participating in outdoor activities, clinics and trail stewardship projects. National Trails Day® is a registered trademark of American Hiking Society.

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its mission and programs, visit www.AmericanHiking.org.

Bethel College is the only private, liberal arts college in Kansas listed in the 2015–16 Forbes.com analysis of top colleges and universities in the United States, and is the highest-ranked Kansas college in the Washington Monthly annual college guide for 2015–16. The four-year liberal arts college is affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu.

Bethel College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, gender, sexual orientation, parental or marital status, gender identity, gender expression, medical or genetic information, ethnic or national origins, citizenship status, veteran or military status or disability. E-mail questions to TitleIXCoordinator@bethelks.edu.

Back to News The public is invited to the fifth annual "Walk Sand Creek Trail Day," Sat., June&nbsp;4, when members of the Sand Creek Trail Committee will be at the Memorial Grove trailhead, 6&nbsp;a.m.-8&nbsp;p.m., with water for people and dogs. …